9 top tips to make your property irresistible to homebuyers
New insight from My Home Move Conveyancing, provides valuable advice for sellers who want to get their homes in tip top shape before going to market and presenting them to prospective buyers.
My Home Move Conveyancing has produced nine essential tips for sellers who want to be buyer ready, giving themselves the best chance of securing a great buyer and a great price.
Declutter
While it's great for a home to look like a home, prospective buyers are also going to be drawn more towards tidy, well-ordered rooms. Sellers might want to think about tidying any unnecessary clutter. This could be from putting childrens' toys into discreet boxes, to organising that bowl that has become a dumping spot for everything.
While deciding what to tidy and what to keep on display for a viewing, it's worth remembering that, often, the precious trinkets and objects that mean the world to you don't have the same emotional pull for strangers. By removing these from sight for viewings, you'll give buyers a chance to visualise how your house might become their home.
Fix and repairs
If you've got any faulty light switches, unfinished DIY projects, torn carpets or wobbly door knobs, it's important to get them fixed up before inviting prospective buyers to view your home. Buyers often want to know they can move in and not have to make any immediate improvements. Repairing these minor issues makes the home look so much more inviting.
Don't neglect the garden
You don't need to be a green fingered wizard, or spend a lot of money landscaping and planting a stunning garden, but you should consider dedicating time to tidying your outdoor space before inviting people over for viewings. There are easy things you can do, like trimming hedges, cutting the grass, raking up leaves, and cleaning the patio tiles, that all make a big impact. Well kept gardens, front and back, show that a property has been cared for and gives a great first impression.
Deep clean
Decluttering is good, however a proper deep clean is also important when presenting your home to potential buyers. You can either dedicate a day to handling the deep clean yourself, or hire professional cleaners to come in and bring the sparkle back. This is about cleaning between tiles, under the fridge, scrubbing the hobs, the oven, and the skirting boards. It sounds like a lot of effort, however it's worth it in the long run if it helps secure a buyer.
Fragrance
Smell is as essential to first impressions as anything we see with our eyes. If a home smells bad, it's hard to move past and suggests the property hasn't been cared for or cleaned. Bad smells can come from blocked drains, mouldy food, dirty cupboards, bins, and so on. Once these smells have been eliminated, you can also add some nice smells when buyers are due to visit, by doing things like baking bread, brewing coffee or getting an automatic air freshener.
Fresh paint
A new coat of paint will do absolute wonders for the overall appearance of your home. It will help make the place look cleaner, brighter, and fresher. Neutral colours are always best - you need to allow for buyers to project their own vision on the space.
Outdoor kerb appeal
As well as making sure the front garden is well-presented, first impressions and kerb appeal also rely on doors, windows, brickwork, gutters, and paintwork all being in good shape.
Don't let pets dominate viewings
If you have pets, try not to let them dominate the home when people are coming for a viewing. If your dog has a large cage in the living room, consider packing it away for the viewings, and if your cat uses a litter tray, think about cleaning it and storing it in a cupboard whilst people visit. Also, consider not leaving pet food bowls on the floor: for anyone who doesn't live with pets, these smells can be overwhelming.
Final touches for a great viewing
Finally, some last minute presentation touches to tick off just before potential buyers arrive. Open all of the curtains (including the shower curtain), put the toilet seats down, clear empty dishes from the draining board, store away personal items such as toiletries, empty the bins, brush down the bread board, and run the vacuum around.
Director of My Home Move Conveyancing, Alistair Singer, commented:
"When you're preparing to invite prospective buyers into your home, you're looking to create the perfect balance between presenting a home that is clearly loved and lived in, and one that is tidy, fresh, and ready to be shaped to the buyer's personal preferences.
This isn't about hiding your personality or pretending to have the perfect life, it's about creating a warm, welcoming environment that is free of negative distractions.
It can all feel like a lot, doing all of this for someone who might not even end up buying the home, however it can make a huge difference, especially when buyers have got plenty of other options in the local area, or if you're looking to find a buyer in a short period of time."
